Wanted
by Agent-Ayu
Summary: After being released from the asylum, Azula had nowhere to go. The Fire Nation didn't want their "crazy princess", the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom didn't want her. Finding her way to a small Earth Kingdom village, Azula befriends someone unexpected.
1. Prologue

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Prologue**

**Summary: **After being released from the asylum, Azula had nowhere to go. The Fire Nation didn't want their "crazy princess", the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom didn't want her. Finding her way to a small Earth Kingdom village, Azula befriends someone unexpected.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters, except all the characters that were not in the series and this story.

**Notes: **This is one of my Post-War Azula head canons.

* * *

The little girl snuck out of her room and down the hall to her father's patient room. She didn't know why, but her father's current patient sparked an interest to her. There have been patients in the past that didn't belong to her village, but she never cared to get to know them while they recovered. Jing walked into the room and climbed onto the bed and watches her father's patient sleep.

Earlier that day while Jing and her father were out picking herbs, this woman collapsed in front of the young girl. Jing already knew the sleeping woman was a firebender. She knew because she saw the firebender's golden eyes before she collapsed. Jing has gold eyes too and is a firebender.

"Jing, what are you doing up?" Her father walked into the patient room to check on his patient.

"I… uh… I was just curious about her. She's a firebender, daddy!"

"Really?" Yu picked up his daughter before setting her down on his seat. "I wonder which island in the Fire Nation she came from then. Or which colony."

"But I thought the colonies were removed from the Earth Kingdom after the war. That's what you and mommy told me."

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko did remove all colonies from the Earth Kingdom a several years ago, but that doesn't mean she wasn't born there. The Fire Nation had occupied parts of the Earth Kingdom for a hundred years. Look at you, honey, even though you were born here, you're a firebender too." Yu filled a bowl with water and brought it up to his patient's lips to keep her hydrated.

"When do you think she'll wake up? Do you think she'll teach me some firebending?"

"I don't want you asking my patient a lot of questions when she wakes up. She's on the path of recovery and she can't recover comfortably if you ask her a lot of questions and try to pressure her into teaching you firebending." Yu unwrapped the bandages around his patient's arms to inspect the burn she had. "Do you understand, Jing?"

"Yes, daddy. Do you think she'll enjoy it if I read to her? Even if she's asleep."

Yu paused what he was doing and thought about his daughter's question. "Yes, I think she would enjoy that."

Jing leaned in a little closer to look at the patient's face as her father replaced the bandages on the woman's arm. "She kind of looks like mommy."

"Yeah, she kind of does. Come on, Jing, time for you to go to bed. Just because mommy is away for the next month doesn't mean you're allowed to stay up way past your bedtime. You can read to my patient in the morning after your chores."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Four years. Four years in the asylum until she was released and declared sane again. But no one in the Fire Nation, no one in the whole world believes that to be true except for one person. Zuko. Zuko believed his sister had recovered and changed. And she had changed, a little. Azula wasn't the power hungry firebending princess she was during the war. Instead she ignored the world around her. She was numb. No one knows how or when it happened, but after years of various doctors trying to heal the princess she suddenly became lucid.

There was a slight uproar in the Fire Nation when they heard their 'crazy princess' was returning to the palace. They feared their princess would betray their Fire Lord's trust and usurp him. Even Mai didn't want her at the palace, in fear for her husband and her daughter.

Two years had passed since she was released from the asylum and no plans of usurping her brother ever crossed her mind. Instead the princess preferred to be left alone and ignored most of the time. However, if it wasn't her brother that was occasionally checking in on her, it was her niece who had some kind of fascination for her. A few weeks after returning to the palace, she bummed into her niece after the younger princess somehow managed to escape from her caretaker's supervision. Azula did nothing with her niece except keep an eye on her until one of the servants spotted the two Fire Nation princesses. When the servants tried apologizing not keeping a better eye on the young princess, Azula just brushed them off and told them if they wanted to apologize to someone they should apologize to either their Fire Lord or Fire Lady.

Ever since their first encounter, the younger Fire Nation princess had always found a way to find her aunt. After several months of this happening, the servants learned that if they found Azula, they would find the Fire Lord's daughter. It was seldom did Azula have any actual interactions with her niece, but when she did there was always a genuine smile on both of their faces.


	2. Chapter 1

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 1**

**Note: **There are some references made to The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko's Story because I found that it could have happened in the show as well.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

Zuko wondered into one of the training grounds to find Azula in the middle of a circle of wooden lanterns, standing at various heights. Ever since Azula returned to the palace the training ground always seemed to have new things set up for the elder Fire Nation princess. He stayed quiet as he watched his sister.

Azula let out a deep breath before opening her eyes and firebending all of the small flames out of the lanterns and have small balls of fire surround her. She brought the small flames in to form a one ball of fire that was the size of her fist. The elder princess was disappointed in her flame. It wasn't burning blue like it had in the past and she had been trying to get her fire to burn blue again. She separated the one ball into their smaller forms again and pushed them back into the lanterns without setting any of them on fire.

"That's very good control you have there." Zuko finally spoke up. "Is that what you've been doing since you came back?"

"I was chi blocked for four years, what do you think? It wasn't painful or anything, but it felt weird. They had special bracelets, anklets, and chocker built so I wouldn't be able to produce fire while I was still insane. Can't blame them. I was the world's strongest female firebender at one point." Azula crossed her arms and looked everywhere but her brother.

The Fire Lord sighed and walked up to his sister. "What was your drive for your firebending? It had to be something strong for it to be as powerful as it was and blue for that matter!"

"How honest do you want me to be?"

"I'll take brutal honesty. I'm used to getting that from you."

Azula sighed. "To not end up like you. As long as I was stronger and perfect, I wouldn't end up like you. That changed after the Day of Black Sun. Father saw me as a failure for trusting you and even worse for lying to him. If it wasn't for my success of bringing down Ba Sing Se, he more than likely would have scarred and banish me as well. I was terrified that he was going to do just that when I returned after failing to capture you at the Boiling Rock. Not only did I not capture you, Ty Lee and Mai betrayed me and that was unforgivable in father's eyes for my misplaced judgment."

For the first time in years, Azula finally looked at her brother and stared at his scar. "Still being honest, I sometimes wondered how life would be for me if he had just scared and banish me before Sozin's Comet. Maybe I wouldn't have gone insane, but I'd still have probably hated you. I guess it's a matter of which would have been the lesser of two evils."

Zuko sat down on a near by bench. "Being scared is being marked for life. Everyone will see that you lost your honor at some point and no matter how hard you try to ignore that, people will always know you did something dishonorable."

"I'D RATHER BE MARKED ON MY FACE FOR LOSING MY HONOR THAN BRANDED INSANE!" All the lanterns caught fire from Azula losing control of her temper.

"You were able to take your scar and change it's meaning by getting your honor back. As for me, being declared insane will forever taint my reputation and it's officially documented. You don't think I hear the servants gossiping about me? Just because I want to be left alone and be ignored doesn't mean I don't hear what others say around the palace. No one will be able to take me seriously because they think I'll have a lapse of insanity again. I don't want to be marked as the crazy princess for the rest of my life. I don't want people to pity me for being a fourteen year old girl who lost her sanity." Azula looked down at the ground as she felt tear start to roll down her cheeks. "No one will ever trust me again. I'll forever be the joke of the Fire Nation and I can't do anything to change that."

"I trust you. I'm not saying I don't have that fear that you might betray me, but I trust you… if I make any sense. Besides my daughter doesn't have a problem with you. In fact I hear she always goes looking for you and spends her whole day with you even if you do nothing with her." Zuko weakly smiled. "I don't think she would do that if she didn't trust you, Azula."

"She's four years old, Zuko. The older she gets the more she'll learn and understand what happened during Sozin's War, as it's officially named. While she might 'admire' me now, she won't when she finds out what I did. She won't when she finds out I lost my sanity during the last days of the war. Let's face it, Zuko. I'm the family's big disappointment. Having me around is going to have people questioning you with every decision you make as Fire Lord."

"Always the pessimist."

"And when did you become so optimistic?"

The two siblings stared at each other as they tried to read the other's thoughts. Zuko sighed and broke eye contact. "I'm temporarily banishing you."

"What?"

"I'm temporarily banishing you from the Fire Nation. You need to get out of here and find yourself. You won't be able to do that if you stay here in the palace. Three years. That's how long I was gone. What do you say?" He stood up and sheepishly grinned at Azula who didn't look too amused.

"Did you hit your head on a rock? There is no one would be willing to travel with me for three years."

"I'll find a crew. You don't even after to stay with them for three years. Once you leave the Fire Nation, you choose where you want to go and what you want to do. You're free to decide."

"Doesn't sound like I have much of a choice."

"Would you rather I make it an order? Would that make you feel better?" Zuko playfully asked.

"Whatever." With that Azula walked away from the training grounds.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"… Forever swimming, La and Tui began their eternal dance and bringing harmony to the world." Jing finished reading the last of the Water Tribe myths and fairytales. She looked over at her father's patient as the woman continued sleeping. Two days have gone by and the woman hadn't shown any signs of waking up. "You know I don't find the Water Tribe stories as interesting as the Fire Nation stories. Not that I'm trying to sound bias or anything since the Water Tribe stories have their own lessons to be taught, but most of their stories are very spiritual. I'll probably like them more when I'm older."

She looked outside to see the sun beginning to set. "Oh no! I forgot to practice this afternoon! I'm sorry, I'll be right back after I practice some of my firebending. When I get back I'll begin reading stories from the Earth Kingdom!" Jing set her book on a near by table and ran out of the patient room.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Shizuku was screaming as her mother held onto her. Even though she didn't really know what was happening, she knew something was going to change. After a few days, Azula took her brother up on his proposal of having her banished from the Fire Nation for three years. Zuko managed to recruit almost all of the sailors from his banishment to go with his sister.

"On the bright side, you're having a better ship than I got when I was banished." Zuko joked as the two stared up at the ship.

"That was not my fault. All you asked was for me to talk to father to give you a ship. You never said I had to try and get you a nice one. At least you were smart enough to take my advice and change your bandages since you didn't lose that eye." Azula watched as the crewmen finished carrying the last of the cargo onto the ship.

Zuko watched his sister as this kind of reminded him leaving the Fire Nation the first time. "Uncle says you're welcome to visit him any time at his tea shop in Ba Sing Se."

Azula smirked. "Right, as if Ba Sing Se would allow its conqueror to come into their city again. I'll think about it. Doubt it… but I'll think about it. What would be the point of my 'banishment' if I were to go to Ba Sing Se? You traveled the world trying to find the Avatar when we originally thought he wouldn't return. That's what I need to do."

The elder princess looked over at her niece as she kept on crying in Mai's arms. Azula walked over to Mai and looked at the Fire Lady, asking if she could hold Shizuku. Mai sighed as she handed her daughter to Azula. The moment Shizuku was in Azula's arms she stopped wailing, but tears were still rolling down her cheeks.

"Alright, kid. Stop crying, if you're not hurt there is no point in you crying. Aunt Azula is going to be gone for at least three years and she needs this very much. I know I didn't interact with you a lot over years, but I'll admit it was still nice having your company. Do you understand?"

Shizuku nodded. "I just don't want you to go. Why do people want you to go away?"

Such an innocent question caught Azula off guard. The elder princess' expression softened as she answered her niece. "Because I did a lot of bad things before you were born. You'll understand when you're older. Right now I need to find myself."

"Why? You're right here."

"Physically I am. But there's something inside me that's missing and I need to find it again."

"Can't you find it here?"

Azula shook her head. "No. Your daddy will explain it to you someday." She was caught off guard again when she felt her niece's small arms warp around her neck.

The younger Fire Nation princess hugged her aunt as hard as she could. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, kid."

Shizuku let go of her aunt and walked back to stand by her mom as she watched her dad and aunt talk to each other some more. The young princess looked up at her mom. "How come you're not saying good-bye to Aunt Azula?"

Mai looked down at her daughter. "It's something else daddy and I will tell you when you're older. A lot of stuff happened between us before you were born. It's hard to explain right now." The Fire Lady lightly brushed her hand through her daughter's hair.

Zuko handed his sheathed broad swords to Azula. "Here, you might need these if you need to hide your firebending. It's funny I got these swords from a traveling Fire Nation actor who was being coerced to enlist to the military. He gave these to me as thanks for helping him save his son from Commander Kanku. That was only a few months after being banished too."

"Sounds like you had quite the adventure at the beginning of your banishment."

"Sir," The two royal siblings looked over at the ship's captain. "We're ready for departure when the princess is ready."

The Fire Lord and elder princess looked at each other having a silent conversation again. That was something the two started doing since Azula returned to the palace four years ago. The two closed the gap between them and hugged each other. They stayed there for a while because they last time they hugged each other was when they were little kids.

"Hey, Zuzu."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

She felt Zuko squeeze a little tighter before the two broke their embrace. Azula just nodded before pulling away even more and began walking up the gangplank. As the bowsprit began to rise, she turned around to see Shizuku trying hard not to cry again as she waved good-bye. The elder Fire Nation princess gave her niece one of her genuine smiles and waved before the bowsprit fully closed.

Azula walked through the ship and immediately found what was her cabin and dropped off the swords Zuko gave her before heading up to the deck. When she finally step foot on the deck, the ship was already out of the port and heading towards the Great Gates of Azulon. She walked to the back of the ship to watch the Fire Nation Capital become smaller and smaller until she couldn't see it anymore.


	3. Chapter 2

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies

* * *

"So what are you going to do?"

Azula looked over at her bed seeing Ty Lee sitting cross-legged. "The only thing that's expected of me, deal with a traitor and foil whatever plan Zuko the Avatar's friends are doing. There is no room for error." She leaned against the railing of her balcony as she watched the sun set over the horizon of Caldera City. "I can't fail again or I'll end up just like Zuko."

Ty Lee uncrossed her legs and leaned on her knees. "Are things really that bad? Is your father that angry with you?"

"You weren't there, Ty Lee. You weren't there in the Crystal Catacombs, you weren't in the war room when I told my father everything that happened in Ba Sing Se, when I lied to him and told him Zuko killed the Avatar, you weren't here during the Invasion, and you weren't in the war room where I had to hear my father tell me how I foolish to trust anyone, especially Zuko, and that I lied to him. You have no idea what I am going through."

The acrobat got up and stood next to the princess. "No, I don't know. I'm trying to since you only talk to me about what happens in those meetings with your father anyway." She placed her hand over Azula's. "I wasn't there for everything you listed off because you either kept me out of it or I wasn't allowed in."

The princess huffed as she smirked. "That's because I don't and can't trust anyone else. Even though Mai's my friend too, well, you've been there the whole time. You know we don't get along as well as you and I do."

"Yeah, I've been there for those." Ty Lee wrapped her arm around Azula's and leaned against the railing too. "It's like I told Zuko on Ember Island, I know him and I know you too. I'm honored to get to see this side of you, it's more you than what your father wants the world to see."

Azula frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means everyone will always see a lie and never know it."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Azula removed her arm from Ty Lee's and walked back into her room.

"Yes, I do. You and Mai may not believe in auras, but I do. While your aura might not be a dingy grey like Mai's, you have this muddy red and yellow almost brown aura. You're angry and unsettled. That's all I see from you these days except the few occasions you open up. A few minutes ago it was a mixed bright fire colors, which all has their own meanings, but that's the aura of the real you not the one I'm that I'm seeing now.

You also can't lie to me. You might be a very good liar, but your aura changes when you're lying. Can you honestly tell me that you're not angry?"

The Fire Nation princess clenched her jaw as she turned towards Ty Lee. "I'm not angry."

Ty Lee gave a small smile. "Yes, you are, but only a little. You're more unsettled than you are angry."

Azula rolled her eyes as she sat down on her bed. The acrobat sighed and sat next to the princess. "Azula, talk to me. Your usual façade isn't normal, if that makes any sense. It's much worse."

"It's about tomorrow. If things go as bad as they could I'll have no choice but…"

"But?"

"To kill Zuko."

The acrobat pulled away slightly. "That's not funny, Azula. I know you sometimes have a rather dark humor as part of your façade, but nothing like that."

"Who's laughing?" Azula stared hard at the ground as she clenched her fists.

"Azula… that's crazy. No, you can't do that. You have never killed anyone or anything. How do you think you can kill your own brother?"

"That's where you're wrong, Ty Lee. I have killed before. I killed the Avatar in Ba Sing Se."

"Now you're really crazy. The Avatar is still alive. You saw him during the Invasion."

"He died in Ba Sing Se. No one could have survived a direct hit like he did and still have lived. I don't know how he survived, but something with the way Zuko acted the day we got back to the Fire Nation told me he survived. Zuko knew something I didn't and that's why I told my father that Zuko had killed the Avatar. I can't return here from the Boiling Rock a failure. I have to stop him no matter what it takes."

Ty Lee squeezed Azula's hand. "You're not a murderer, Azula. I'm not even counting what happened to the Avatar since he's still alive. You've never killed anyone and you shouldn't have to. You can stop them without killing Zuko or anyone else. Please, Azula!"

Azula shook her head. "It's not that easy. You don't have the pressure of the Fire Nation on your shoulders. I have to prove I'm nothing like Zuko. That's my drive. That's all I know. That's all I'll probably ever know. I can't be like Zuko."

"You're already so much like him." Ty Lee jumped away from the bed before Azula could turn and glare at her. "You're acting a lot like he did before he was banished. Well, at least the way you described him."

"How can you say that?" Azula stood up and glared at Ty Lee. "I am nothing like him. I refuse to be like him."

"I told you how I could say that. And I told you I know you! Sometimes it's scary how much I know you better than you."

The princess looked in the acrobat's eyes trying to find something, anything really. The girl in front of her was not the same one Azula had tricked into joining her mission a few months ago. The Ty Lee at the circus wouldn't have argued with her no matter what. Azula was stumped with what changed. When did Ty Lee not fear her, if she ever feared her at all?

"Zuko is weak. I'm not weak."

Suddenly Azula felt herself pushed back onto her bed, as she sat up Ty Lee was straddling her lap. "Ty Lee! What are you do-"

Azula froze when she saw the look on the other girl's face. She couldn't recall see Ty Lee ever looking as serious even when the acrobat was angry on Ember Island. "Is it really being weak opening to someone? Or letting someone else support you?"

"Ty L-" The words were caught in Azula's throat. She honestly didn't know how to respond to Ty Lee's questions. The acrobat's face was really close to hers.

"I think by opening yourself, trusting someone, letting them support you makes you stronger. That way you don't have to carry all the weight. It takes a lot of strength to trust someone. By not trusting someone I think you would be a coward and weak."

The princess opened her mouth to respond, but again nothing came out. Her heart was beating quickly against her chest and she had to mentally remind herself to breathe.

"The Azula the world sees is weak. The Azula I see is strong because she let me in. The Azula the world sees would never have told me what you have. You're not weak and neither is Zuko. You're both stronger than your father for trusting others."

Ty Lee began to lean into Azula. The firebender pulled back slightly before beginning to lean in herself. Their foreheads touched, nervous smiles were exchanged, and they continued leaning towards each other. Their lips were barely touching before they both pulled back slightly only to lean in again. Before their lips touched they were broken from their trance when someone knocked on the princess's door.

The acrobat pulled herself completely off the other girl as Azula slowly stood up and walked over to her door. Both girls had to let out several deep breaths before Azula opened her door. On the other side was one of the messenger servants.

"What is it?"

"Your highness, the Fire Lord requests for you in his throne room. Immediately." The servant bowed and walked away as fast as he could. He could feel a murderous tension coming from the princess.

The firebender covered her mouth with her hand as she still tried to catch her breath. She looked back into her room to see Ty Lee standing awkwardly by the princess's bed. The acrobat trailed her hands down the marble posts.

"Well, I guess I better head to bed myself, since Mai and I are accompanying you tomorrow. Goodnight, Azula." Ty Lee paused to look at Azula before walking past the princess.

Once Ty Lee was out of her sight the princess left her room and headed straight for the throne room. She couldn't get the images of what was about to have happened out of her head. The young princess wasn't sure if she was disappointed or glad that they hadn't kissed. It didn't matted she needed to focus. She stopped in front of the curtain to the throne room.

Azula shook her head to clear her mind. She let out a deep breath. She couldn't let what happened in her room distract her from whatever it was her father needed to say. Tomorrow she had a mission. Stop Zuko. There was no room for error. The princess would not let anything stop her. Letting out one more deep breath, Azula opened the curtain and walked into the throne room.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Slowly Azula opened her eyes and stared at the glaciers as her mind was brought back to the present. A year has passed since her unofficial banishment began. Like her brother had years before, she had traveled to each of the Air Temples. She spent a long time at the Western Air Temple reflecting over the battle that took place just days before Sozin's Comet. It was where Azula knew she began to show signs that she was losing her sanity.

She had almost succeeded in killing her brother that day. It was lucky that he fell onto another zeppelin. While she was proud when she thought Zuko fell to his death, she knew she would have regretted it later and for that she was thankful he was lucky that day. Even though she couldn't admit it to Mai yet, she was also thankful that Mai stopped the guards from cutting the line at the Boiling Rock. She had to silently thank Ty Lee and Zuko as well. If not for them she probably would have killed Mai and Katara.

But now here she was, somewhere near the Southern Water Tribe. Traveling had helped her a bit. She was nowhere near finding herself, but it was closer than she was in the Fire Nation. This time she wasn't on a mission to hunt down her brother or the Avatar, she was to travel the world and she loved it. The past year Azula learned what it was like not to be royal or have the pressure of a nation on her shoulders. She even struck up an unexpected friendship with some of the crewmembers over Pai Sho.

Most of the time they playfully complained how much she was like Iroh. Every time they thought they were winning, she wipes them out with one or two moves. While traveling with most of the crew Zuko had, she got to learn more about the Fire Lord's travels that her brother hadn't shared with her. She had learned that Zuko had gone a little crazy at the beginning of his search. The crew told her stories about the Fire Nation actor who stole from them, the guru Zuko found while at the Eastern Air Temple, and everything in between. Including what happened after they found the Avatar here in the South Pole after nearly three years of traveling.

Lately she had been reflecting on the last few days of her sanity during the war and how everything crumpled in front of her. It was triggered when they passed Kyoshi Island. Azula remembered Zuko telling her how Ty Lee joined the Kyoshi Warriors after the war and how she taught the warriors chi blocking while in prison. The princess had thought to ask the captain in making a stop at Kyoshi Island to check in on the acrobat, but immediately voted against it. Ty Lee and Mai were easily forgiven, but the people of Kyoshi would never forgive Azula and what she did during the war. Defeating their warriors and infiltrated Ba Sing Se incognito as their warriors, and bringing shame to their name. She would never be welcomed.

Azula let out a deep breath as she produced a small fireball. While her fire had gotten slightly bigger, it still wasn't burning blue like before. She was beginning to wonder if it ever would burn blue again. Her drive was no longer to be perfect and not be like Zuko. So what was her drive now? Does she have a drive? During her private training at the palace she never did much, except control small amounts of fire in various ways. The princess hadn't tried fighting or going through the different firebending forms.

Stepping to the center of the ship's deck, she began going through forms that were still second nature to her. The firebender wasn't trying to produce any fire yet. She wanted to reconnect with the feeling. She was once the world's strongest female firebender, she was the only female able to bend lightning and she was only fourteen. Azula no longer had the standards of her father to live up to, but to her the strength and power she had as a firebender nearly ten years ago is what she wanted now. To be as strong as she was then only this time it wasn't to manipulate and terrify others, to be about control. Control over her ability, her life, and her mind.

She moved onto the advance forms, still not producing fire. Every move still had it's perfected focus, snap, tension, and technique. It was as if she hadn't practiced these forms in years. Just as she was about to transition in the last form she felt someone grab her shoulder. Without thinking she spun and around and landed a back fist to her grabber's head. When she finally looked she realized she had knocked out one of the crewmembers.

"Shit."

When Azula kneeled down to check to see if he was breathing as more of the crew showed up and started laughing. Apparently they had warned him not to interrupt her during her firebending practice and this is what he got for not listening. The princess rolled her eyes and ordered them to have the ship's doctor look at him.

Once her mind was cleared she dropped down into a familiar stance, she bent her right knee down into an angled front stance as she brought left hand down and up, she shifted to her left side repeating the same motion. She brought her fingertips together briefly before shooting her right hand out as if to send an attack towards the sea. For the first time in years a huge explosion blasted in Azula's face as she was thrown across the ship's deck.

Hearing the explosion, most of the crew ran back to the deck to check on their princess. Azula sat against the ship's side in shock. The last time that happened were when she was eleven it was only a few days after Zuko's banishment did Ozai began teaching Azula how to lightning bend. It took her a week to finally bend lightning and at least a few months to have control. She wasn't expecting to be perfect after not bending for so long, she didn't expect having it exploded in her face.

"Princess, are you alright?" The captain asked as he kneeled down beside her.

"I'm fine, Captain." Azula slowly stood up and gripped the side of the ship to keep herself balanced, as she suddenly felt dizzy.

"Maybe we should have you see the doctor as well."

"No. I'm fine. A little dizzy is all. I'm going to lie down for a bit. I don't want anyone disturbing me." Azula made eye contact with all the crewmembers before walking below deck to her cabin.

She took her time to walk back to her cabin. Many thoughts and memories were flooding through her mind. Memories of how she treated people and thoughts of if the crew was concerned for her as a person and friendly with her because they wanted to or because her brother had ordered them to travel with her for her unofficial banishment. Azula walked over to the nearest wall and slammed her fists against it as she let out a frustrated scream.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula screamed as she slammed her fists against her bedroom wall. She had just came out of her father's war room after she was lectured and berated by her father for her failure again. He had hounded her for hours since her return from the Boiling Rock. She was not given a resting period before she was summoned. The guard had to drag her into the war room, where she stayed bowing to her father.

There was nothing she could have done since her legs were still paralyzed from Ty Lee's chi blocking.

Ozai pointed out Azula's faults and how she was becoming more like Zuko. Several times through her father's belittling she wanted to interrupt him and tell him he was wrong. But she wasn't Zuko. That's what Zuko did three years ago. That's what got her brother scarred and banished.

Adding insult to injury, he pointed out her current position being a consequence for trusting Ty Lee. Zuko's escape was a consequence for trusting Mai. Her trust in Zuko was thrown back in her face during the Day of Black Sun when he sold her out on everything. Azula kept lowering her head with every new insult until she was no longer paralyzed. When Ozai said, 'stand', she stood. He compared her to her mother, her brother, her uncle, her cousin, and said how she was turning out to be like them. Weak.

The entire palace was silent when she was finally dismissed from the war room. She had to listen to her father's voice echo through her head back to her room. Azula slammed her fists against the wall a few more times before sitting down on her bed, hanging her head. She took deep breaths as she covered her face with her hands as the events at the Boiling Rock replayed in her mind.

Everything had gone wrong in every way today. Zuko and his friends weren't supposed to attempt to escape, she and Ty Lee weren't supposed to fight on the gondola, Mai wasn't supposed to save Zuko, Ty Lee wasn't supposed to chi block her.

Nothing was ever supposed to go wrong when she was in charge. Not even the invasion. Everything was perfect. The Invasion plan was foiled when the Fire Nation had already prepared for it and found a way to counter it if they were to search further than the palace. Azula planned out every possibility just like she did with the Boiling Rock it was fool proof. Except Zuko was the wild card that she never factored into her plans.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard knocking at her door. Azula threw her door open, startling the messenger servant. "What?" Azula snapped.

"Uh… your Dai Li agents have found the location of the Avatar. They say he was spotted at the Western Air Temple, along with the stolen zeppelin."

Azula smirked. She had them now. "Tell the rest of the zeppelin fleet to everything ready. We leave the moment they finish."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The princess slowly lowered her hands and leaned her forehead against the wall she had just hit. She took deep breaths to calm herself down. Azula didn't blame Zuko, Mai, or Ty Lee anymore. She hadn't since she recovered. She blamed herself and her parents. Her father turned her into that monster and her mother didn't even try to 'save' her like she did with Zuko.

Suddenly Azula was tossed to the other side of her cabin as a loud painful screech was heard throughout the entire ship. Azula stayed on the ground, clinging to her bed frame until the ship stopped shaking violently. Once the shaking stopped she waited a few moments before standing. She grabbed her swords and ran back up to the deck.

When she arrived she could barely see in front of her. She didn't know how long she was down in her cabin except they weren't even heavy fog when she left the deck. Taking one step there was a crunch under her foot, when she looked it was ice. Azula produced a small fireball to help her see a little better and there were chunks of ice spread around the deck.

"Princess, are you alright?" The Captain asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. What did we do? Hit an ice berg?"

The look on the Captain's face was enough to answer her question before he tried explaining the situation. "The helmsman couldn't see it. The fog is so thick, Princess. We have men trying to repair as much damage as soon as possible, but we need to get to shore quickly. I'm so sorry, we-"

Azula held up her hand to stop the Captain from explaining further. "I'm not blaming anyone Captain. The fact I can barely see in front of me I don't think there was much you and the rest of the crew could have done. How long was I down in the cabin?"

"For several hours, Princess."

The firebender looked around as best she could. "Do you think a messenger hawk can make their way those this fog without trouble?"

"Yes, Princess."

"Good. Send at least two of our messenger hawks to the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. If what my brother told me is true, they should have some waterbenders besides Katara who could possibly help us."

The Captain looked around nervously. Azula recognized this uneasiness he was having. She had placed several ship Captains and their crewmates in that position.

"Please Captain. What is it you wish to say?"

"Princess, I mean no disrespect, but would they help us knowing you are a passenger?"

"This isn't a royal ship, Captain. Therefore they wouldn't know I am on this ship and we will not be telling them that in the messages. We need to send out an S.O.S. whatever happens after we get the ship to safety we'll handle then. The world has a vendetta against me and me alone. Now what can I do to help while we wait for help to arrive?"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jing sat cross-legged as she watch her father's patient sleep. She had just finished reading through her book of various tales and legends of the Four Nations to her and not once has the patient stirred. The young firebender held her breath when the patient groaned and began to stir.

"Dad! I think she's waking up!"

Yu quickly walked into his patient's room and watch as she slightly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and looked over at Jing. "Easy now. You've been asleep for several days."

The patient mumbled something. "What did she say?" Jing looked at her dad. She leaned in closer to the patient. The patient grabbed Jing's arm and pulled as hard as she could, mumbled once more and loss consciousness again.

"What did she say, Jing?"

The young firebender blinked as she tried figuring it out as well. "Az… Azra? No. Az… Azu… Azura? Maybe it was Azula. I don't know."


	4. Chapter 3

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 3**

**Notes: **There is a little reference to the Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

Yu lightly drummed his hands against his leg as he continued watching his patient sleep. His mind wondered to what she had told Jing. "There's only one Azula as far as I know… Jing said she had gold eyes, another trait of very high-class nobles, she looks like she's in her early twenties, and she really does look like Jing's mother. This is too much to be a coincidence."

The doctor leaned in to his patient enough to whisper. "If you're really Azula, you're in for a surprise when my wife comes home in three weeks. The odds of her going off to that training retreat the Kyoshi Warriors set up for our village and you showing up the same day. The Universe might be telling us something."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The Captain put Azula to work at her request. When she got to the boiler room she was immediately assigned to help weld the extra scrap metal to seal of the damaged areas. It took one firebender to give her a quick lesson of how to weld the metals properly for the best outcome. They didn't mind if it wasn't welded clean and perfectly as long as it was sealed properly.

"This isn't going to hold for long is it?" Azula asked as she was just finishing her side of the welding.

"Not with the water pressure. You can see it's starting to come undone." One of the other firebenders pointed towards his side that was faintly shaking.

"Princess! The Water Tribe replied, they will be glad to help, but…" The Captain dragged off.

"They don't know I'm on the ship."

Every crewmember that was in the boiler room fell silent. Seeing the uncertainty of her crew she tried something that the old her would have never done for them.

"Everyone listen, no matter what happens, we need to get this ship to safety and fixed. If I have to be taken prisoner by them for that to happen then so be it. We all knew that if something like this were to happen we would encounter problems because of me. I caused a lot of harm during the last days of the war especially towards the Earth Kingdom and the Kyoshi Warriors." She looked at every crewmember in the eye. "But I promise I will make sure none of you are involved with whatever the Water Tribe might have in store when they find out I'm on this ship."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You… You can't treat me like this. You can't treat me like Zuko!" For the first time in her life she had talked back to her father.

"Azula, silence yourself." Ozai replied a little too calmly then Azula was used to hearing from him.

She was beyond furious. She had done everything he had asked without question and took every berating and insult he threw at her all to avoid being treated like her brother. And yet here she was. "But it was my idea to burn everything to the ground! I deserve to be by your side!"

"Azula!"

There it was, the look of disappointment on his face the look that was normally used for Zuko. Clenching her jaw, Azula closed her eyes and lowered her head as her father continued to talk.

"Listen to me. I need you to watch over the homeland, it's a very important job that I can only entrust to you."

The princess opened her eyes in disbelief. After everything she had done, he still trusted her. "Really?"

"And for your loyalty," Ozai turned around to look at Azula. "I've decided to name you the new Fire Lord."

"Fire Lord Azula! It does seem appropriate." Finally she had taken the throne from her brother. However, it wasn't right. Why would her father give the throne to her if he were still alive? "But, what about you?"

Ozai smirked. "Fire Lord Ozai is no more. Just as the World will be reborn," Azula watched as the Fire Sages place custom-made armor over her father's shoulders and a matching helmet on his head. "I shall reborn as the supreme ruler of the World. From this moment on, I will be known as the "Phoenix King"!"

When Ozai raised his arms, new banners were lifted into the air as well as a giant one behind him. Azula's eyes wondered around her surrounding as some of the Imperial Firebenders firebend into two urns on either side of the giant banner only to have two large fire wings to appear from the pillars. All the citizens were on the ground bowing to the new King and out of show, Azula slowly lowered herself until she was bowing. Everyone remained where they were until Ozai and his fleet left the shores of the Royal Plaza.

Azula raised her head and glared at her father's fleet before standing. This wasn't a reward. Her father had taken everything she worked for from her. While she might soon officially hold the title of 'Fire Lord', the title no longer held any meaning – not with her father being the Phoenix King. There was one thing her father was right about. She couldn't trust anyone, not even him. She could only trust herself.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The Fire Nation princess let out a deep breath as she opened her eyes. Her first official appearance to the Southern Water Tribe wasn't exactly the way she had liked. Along with the waterbenders, the Avatar had come to help bring them to the Southern Water Tribe by bending a tsunami to carry the ship. Since everyone in the boiler room was not prepared for that, they weren't holding onto anything when being lifted. Some were injured from being slammed against the wall, and others were burned from touching the boiler.

The Avatar had apologized profusely. He honestly didn't believe that the tsunami would have caused a big shift on the ship. The Water Tribe was less than thrilled when Azula stepped off the gangplank of her ship. They refused to treat her injuries until her crew refused being treated themselves until they treated her as well.

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! This is payback from seven years ago, isn't it?" Azula asked as she winced a little more.

Katara glared at Azula and continued gently pulling on Azula's arm to assess any damage. "Not even close. You tried to kill me on multiple occasion."

"I apologized for that before you sucker punched me. Nice right hook by the way." Azula began rubbing her cheek with her right hand. "Guess I did deserve at least that sucker punch from you."

Without warning Katara yanked at Azula's arm really hard. While Azula was trying hard not to scream, the waterbender took pleasure in torturing the firebender in some form. She wasn't purposely torturing Azula, everything she was doing was for the princess's benefit.

"Oh, stop whining. I had to readjust your elbow."

"So… what exactly would you like me to call you?" Azula looked at the ground feeling ashamed for what she called Katara in the past.

The waterbender looked at the princess. Katara noticed from the time she punched Azula until now that she had changed a lot since their first encounter in Omashu. The Azula she originally knew wouldn't have been ashamed of anything.

"Katara." The waterbender finally replied.

Azula looked up and the two exchanged a small smile of understanding. She was going to have to work hard to show the Water Tribe, specifically Katara and Aang that she had changed. That she wasn't the Fire Nation Princess that chased them across Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation.

After a few more pulling, Katara had readjusted Azula's arm and began healing any other injures. "I have a question. Do you know how you became sane again?"

A question that Azula had asked herself many times before and could only make one conclusion. "I know I'm legally documented as a cured mad woman, but I'm serious when I say this, I think Avatar Roku helped me."

There was a slight pause in Katara's waterbending before she continued. "Why do you think it was him?"

"According to my doctor, for three years I was acting like a raging animal. They had to have me chi blocked for both our safety. Then somehow the day after the Summer Solstice she said I calmed down. Not just a little, but completely. Keep in mind, I was always able to feel the seasons changing and when it was the Summer Solstice, come with being a firebender. I remember feeling really warm because it was the longest day of the year and I saw Avatar Roku, he said he could help me if I listened and trusted him. "

The princess huffed. "Took me what felt like a long time before I let myself trust him. I don't remember much after that. It was like I was in a trance. I saw everything I had done and realized how much of a bitch I was to everyone. Then again according to my doctor I fell ill during the last week of my insanity. She said it was a spiritual illness, something where depending which path I took would determine my future. I guess I chose the right one since when I recovered from my illness I was sane again."

"I wonder why Avatar Roku wanted to help you. No offense or anything." Azula shrugged it off as Katara put her arm into a sling.

"Avatar Roku is my great-grandfather from my mother's side." Katara's eyes widened at that news. "I guess Zuko didn't tell you that. He told me a couple of days after I returned to the palace when he got my medical report from my doctor."

Katara smiled and sat down next to Azula. "You have changed. It's nice, but creepy that we're even talking to each other right now. I guess Zuko was right when he sent Aang and I that letter about your unofficial banishment."

"He didn't tell me that he was sending anyone letters about that."

"More like he was giving us the heads up so we wouldn't be too surprised. Why do you think we didn't attack you? We're bitter still because of the war, but not that bitter. I'm not saying this is bad, but being this calm and no signs of even a little bit of what you were before the Agni Kai isn't you."

Azula shook her head. "No, it's not. And that's what this unofficial banishment is for. When Zuko was banished he traveled the world and somewhere done the line he found himself after he lost everything. That's what I need to do to even begin finding myself and there are many loose ends I need to tie up too."

"You won't be doing much traveling for a while. Most of your crew that is a firebender was injured. You've been traveling for a year, time to take a small break."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"She imprisoned my warriors and I, used our uniforms and name to infiltrate Ba Sing Se, and she even conquered Ba Sing Se. She wouldn't have been able to do any of that if she wasn't a firebender." Suki angrily.

"Not to mention all the times she tried to kill us." Sokka added.

"That's the thing though, she didn't kill any of us or anyone during her conquering of Ba Sing Se." Aang noticed everyone looking at him. "I don't count since I was brought back thanks to Katara."

Zuko pulled himself out of his thoughts when it was his turn to state his position. "I know my sister and I… had some of our major differences within this past year and most of our childhood, but it wasn't always like that. Everyone except Katara didn't see the way she was after Katara defeated her.

"I saw my sister from when we were little kids. It was one of the few times when she didn't think showing emotions was a weakness. One of our family's physicians has officially declared her insane and there could possibly be a way for her to recover. I don't think she can ever recover if we have Aang take her bending away. She's a firebender, it's part of her."

"Look, we understand what you're saying, but Azula was dangerous enough when she was sane, now that she's insane no one is safe. Not even herself." Katara replied.

The soon-to-be Fire Lord sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Uncle, what is your opinion in the matter?"

Iroh sipped some of his tea before answering. "While I agree with every point that everyone has made, there is one thing we're all forgetting. Everyone here, the world, and Azula are victims of this hundred-year war. Some suffered more than others." The former general looked around the table.

"Like my nephew said, she wasn't always the way you have come to know her. Though our whole family played some part in making her the way she is, that we are guilty. I was her firebending master before her father started training her. Instead of keeping an eye out for her like I did with Zuko, I ignored what was happening. For that I am one of the reasons she turned out like she did."

"Wouldn't losing her marbles be punishment enough? And why not get that bouncy girl to chi block her?" Toph asked bluntly.

Zuko shook his head. "I don't think we can ask Ty Lee to chi block her every time it starts to wear off. It wouldn't be fair to Ty Lee."

"What if we have something that could block her bending around the clock?" Aang asked. "That way she won't be able to firebend until she recovers and this wouldn't effect Ty Lee or any other chi blocker. Would everyone settle for this arrangement?"

When no one spoke up, Aang assumed it was because no one wanted to start a fight if they voiced their full opinion on Aang's offer. Giving everyone enough time to think it over, the Avatar continued.

"This means when she recovers, she will still have her bending abilities. It's time to take a vote. Voting 'yes' means she keeps her bending and we find a way to chi block her during her recovery, and by voting 'no' I'll take away her ability to bend."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula watched Katara teach her students during their daily waterbending lessons. She figured these children were part of the first batch of new Southern Water Tribe waterbenders. This was definitely different than what Zuko described to her when he first arrived here seven years ago when he found the Avatar.

She jumped when something black and white flew in front of her and then wrapped itself around her shoulders. When she turned her head slightly to see what jumped onto her, she came face to face with very big green eyes. "Oh, you're that flying lemur, one of the Avatar's pets."

"His name is Momo." Aang smiled as he walked down the rest of the steps. "This is a bit surprising since he was running away from you last time. Then again so was I."

The princess gave a small smiled and scratched under Momo's chin. "Last time you were shorter than me and your voice wasn't as deep. Now you're Zuko's height. Who's the little girl you've got there?"

"This little princess here is Kya. Say 'hello', Kya." Kya just stared at Azula and Momo as Aang chuckled. "She's almost two, so we'll probably be hearing her talk soon."

"Blue eyes. Good chance she'll be a waterbender since her mother is one, but even some children of benders don't inherit the ability to bend their element. That's what happened to Zuko's swords master. Master Piandao of Shu Jing Island."

Aang lowered Kya so she could walk around a little. "I didn't know Piandao was Zuko's swords master too."

"I don't see why he wouldn't. He used to be in the Fire Nation Army, a good friend of my Uncle's, and he is the best swordsman in the Fire Nation. He trained your friend Sokka, right?"

"Yep. How'd you figure that out? Kya, don't wander too far." Aang went to retrieve his daughter before she walked in on her mother's class.

"Not much to figure out. Sokka didn't have a sword the last time I saw you and your friends in Ba Sing Se and then during the Invasion he has one. Also I made it a point to pay attention to detail and I was able to tell it was Master Piandao's work when I got a close up of his sword at the Boiling Rock." Azula placed her hand over her injured arm and used some firebending to ease the pain with heat.

"Well, you don't have to worry about getting as close up on his sword. He lost it during Sozin's Comet to save our friend's life and his."

"Zuko kind of mentioned that to me in passing, The Battle of Wulong Forest. With the schools reformed without all the propaganda, that battle is definitely in the history books."

Kya reached out to try a pull on Momo's tail, but after having happen to him a lot the past year, the winged lemur moved his tail just barely out of the girl's reach. He moved it back when she retracted her hand and they repeated the process again. Azula lightly bopped her head against Momo's, since her release from the asylum animals had been attracted towards her. The turtle ducks weren't scared of her anymore, and on occasion Shizuku's fire ferret took his naps in her room. She smirked realizing that Fire Ferret was probably loving her whole room to himself while she was gone.

"What's on your mind? Last time I saw you smiling was when you attacked us at the Western Air Temple and it wasn't anything like the one you're giving." Aang let Kya go again and the young girl ran towards her mother, who just finished her waterbending class.

Azula shook her head and continued smiling. "Momo just made me think of my niece's pet fire ferret and the turtle ducks back at the palace. The turtle ducks use to fear me because I did terrible stuff to them like toss a whole loaf of bread at them. As for the fire ferret, he loves sleeping wherever he pleases in my bedroom."

Aang sat down on one of the near by benches. "Do you miss the Fire Nation?"

The firebender sat down next to the airbender as they watched Katara play with Kya. "Yes and no. I miss it just because I'm finally admitting to myself that I miss some of the talks Zuko and I have when most of the time it's him doing all the talking. And I miss doing nothing with my niece. That's all we did was nothing. We were perfectly content with that. Gave the kid sometime to unwind from running away from her servants. Kind of reminds me of myself when I was her age."

"Creating havoc since you were two?"

"Naturally."

The two looked at each other and laughed. Never did they think they would be sitting next to each other and talk as if they were old friends. It was a start. She had to start somewhere to find herself and making peace with her brother's friends, the people she was ordered to chase was a very good start.

"So, Avatar how many kids are you planning on having? Still be the last airbender and all."

"Aang. Please, call me, 'Aang'. I'll be content two if our next child is an airbender. We can't have the airbenders die out with me. We need an airbender to keep the world balanced."

Azula eyes began to wander as she started feeling a little uneasy. "I almost did unbalance the world when I killed you in Ba Sing Se. How did you even survive that?"

Giving the princess of mischievous grin he brought his finger up to his lips and shsshed. "That's a secret you'll have to figure out. On a little more serious note, it is kind of a secret because if it got out people would try to go after the source and it will greatly upset some spirits."

"Fair enough. Well, I better go check on my crew and see how they're doing." Azula got up and began to walk away.

"Please send them my apologies again. I really am sorry for all the injuries I caused on you and your crew."

The princess rolled her eyes in a playful way. "Aang, enough. You've been apologizing for three days. We know you're sorry and no one is taking it personal. If anyone in my crew is taking it personal, they'll have to deal with me. My firebending might be weak, but I can still kick all their asses."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"No."

"… No."

Suki casted her vote quickly and Sokka chose to side with Suki. Azula had baited him during the Invasion by using Suki against him. He couldn't forgive her for that since all the events that happened after the eclipse ended could have been avoided if it wasn't for her.

"My vote is yes. She's my sister. I know if she were in my position she would probably abandon me, but I'm not her. I'll do whatever I can to help her recover." Zuko voted.

"She lost her mind. That's enough punishment for me. I vote yes." Toph replied.

That left Katara; Iroh had recused himself from voting since he wanted to only be an advisor for the six teenagers. Since it was Aang who would have to probably take Azula's bending away, he too recused himself from voting.

Katara didn't say anything for a while as she gathered her thoughts together. She looked at Suki and her brother and then at Zuko. "My vote is…"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After a couple of weeks the ship was repaired to where it was barely visible from the damage the iceberg caused. Instead of standing on the port like she did in the Fire Nation, Azula helped the crew move the cargo that was originally on the ship back on along with the additional cargo the Water Tribe was giving them. Unlike their arrival, there was only one big family that was with them to send them off, the chief's family.

"That should be just about it! A few more cargo that is coming in and we should be ready to go once we get the boiler room and engines going again." The captain announced before walking deeper into the ship as Azula walked back to the port.

"Chief Hakoda, it was a pleasure meeting you… again and under better circumstances. Now if knew Katara was the chief's daughter I wouldn't have called her 'peasant'." Azula raised an eyebrow at the waterbender.

"I believe you called me, 'filthy peasant' to be exact." Katara corrected as she smirked.

"You made it worse for me. Even during war I respect titles. In Ba Sing Se I did refer to the Earth King as 'The Earth King'. Your father is the chief of this tribe, the leader of the tribe. Essentially social rank wise we're equals."

Hakoda laughed while Kanna and Pakku shook their heads. "If this was the Northern Water Tribe, they would really like you for that attitude." Kanna explained. "But since this is the Southern Water Tribe, we do not concern ourselves with family ranking and nobility. The Tribe is our family overall, we look after each other like family and not as subjects."

Pakku continued for his wife. "I would advise you to stay clear of the Northern Water Tribe as well. While they did agree to the declaration of peace at the end of the war, they are still on edge with the Fire Nation."

The princess nodded. "I heard about everything that happened up there. I'll be sure to tell the captain and helmsman."

The three elders bid the princess farewell before leaving her with Aang and his family. Azula turned toward to Katara first.

"So… what about us? Are we good?"

Katara smiled. "We're good, though when you do find yourself, get some of the old Azula back. It's too awkward seeing you like this after everything that happened last time."

Azula chuckled. "I'll see what I can do." She held out her hand. The two girls shook on their informal agreement. "Avat- Aang, thank you. And next time you talk to my great-grandfather, please tell him I said 'thank you' as well."

"You already have, Azula. We're both connected spiritually to him. Yes, I might be able to talk to him face to face, but he's inside you as well. I think if you asked, he could help you again if you need him." He shook her hand too.

As Azula walked up the gangplank Momo flew around her a few times before settling onto her shoulders. "Sorry, little guy. You're not coming with me. You can stay until we pull out of port." She turned back around to get a confirm nod from Aang. "How about a little tour of the ship?"

By the time Azula and Momo reached the deck, the ship had already begun to pull out of the port. "Alright little guy. Time to say good-bye. It was very nice getting to know you as well, Momo."

Momo chattered as if he wanted something from her. She stared at him until it dawned on her she hadn't given him any lychee nuts today like she had the past couple of weeks.

"Here. Take the whole bag. My treat to you."

The flying lemur licked the princess's cheek a few times before flying back to Aang and Katara with his bag of lychee nuts. She leaned against the railing and held up when had as a sign of waving good-bye to the two benders. Azula gave a small smile when they returned the wave before walking away. It was a start. Her toughest challenge would be facing the Kyoshi Warriors and their people. However, she wasn't ready to face them yet. Maybe in another year the princess thought as went to inform the captain and helmsman about the Northern Water Tribe.

"She's beginning to find her inner peace like Zuko did." Aang mentioned as they watched the ship sail further and further away.

"I'm glad I made the right choice that day. She does need firebending to help her. Taking that away from her wouldn't have helped. I can honestly say I've forgiven her as well." Katara looked down at Kya and smiled.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"My vote is… yes. For so long I've hated the Fire Nation because they killed my mother, in time whenever I pictured the Fire Nation was only able to see Zuko's face and later Azula's. And if Zuko thinks she will need her firebending to help her recover, then I trust his judgment. Zuko has proven to me that he could be trusted and I forgave him. I would find it hypocritical if I didn't give Azula the same chance. Once she's recovered of course." Katara finally answered.

Aang smiled. "Alright then, it's settled. Azula will be allowed to keep her firebending. Let's see if we can find someone to make chi blocking bracelets."

"And anklets and a chocker." Toph added in.

Zuko gave a sad smile. He was thankful that his sister will be able to keep her bending, but he really hoped she could recover. Both he and Katara saw Azula at her worst. When she was chained to the ground, defenseless, weak, and broken. They heard her screaming for their mother and repeating to herself that she wasn't a monster. After his coronation tomorrow he was going to pay his father a visit. He was going to find out where Ozai banished their mother.


	5. Chapter 4

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 4**

**Notes: **Sorry for not updating in a long time. School really kicked my ass 2nd Semester with Sophomore Reviews. Right after school ended I needed at least a month off before I got back into writing. I also had to deal with a lot of personal problems too.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

"Hey."

Ty Lee looked behind her to see Azula.

"What are you doing out here, Ty Lee? We leave bright and early in the morning."

The acrobat smiled and turned back to look at the ocean. "I know… I couldn't sleep. So much had happened in just a few days here. It started off rough, but I wouldn't want to change it any other way."

Azula sat down on the boulder next to Ty Lee. "I would have wanted to change the first night we were here."

"Why?"

"I talked too much. I didn't want Zuko and Mai to hear what I said about my mother." She looked at the sand. "They don't understand. They never will."

Silence fell between the two girls as they listened to the waves crash along the beach. Ty Lee shivered as a breeze blew by them. "Here." Azula took off her out layer shirt and draped it over the smaller girl's shoulders.

"No, it's alright. You'll get cold." Ty Lee objected.

"Stop arguing with me. It's my job to argue with you remember. Besides you're not a firebender, your natural body heat is much lower than mine." She crossed her arms and tried to act like it wasn't a big deal.

Ty Lee smiled and scooted as close as she possibly could next to Azula before placing her head on the princess's shoulder. "Thank you, Zula."

The princess cleared her throat as she tried not to blush. Even though Ty Lee wouldn't be able to see it since it was dark, but she'd be able to see her aura and feel her body heat rise. She wrapped her arm around the other girl's shoulders. "You're welcome."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Wake up!"

All of a sudden Azula was splashed with a bucket of water. It's been nearly a year since she's been treated like this, then again her 'boss' doesn't care what others think as long as she gets her money. Everyday the Fire Nation princess asked herself how she ended up living this life after leaving her ship and she reminded herself she still owed her 'boss' a lot of money.

"If you don't get up soon, I'll have Nyla paralyze you and I'll turn you into whichever Earth Kingdom town will pay the most to have you hanged or whatever form of torture they decide to put you through, Ferret."

Azula rolled her eyes at her boss's nickname for her since they met at the tavern that 'faithful' day. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me 'Ferret'? By the way, why do you call me 'Ferret'?"

June laughed as she finished packing her stuff into one of Nyla's saddle pouches. "Listen kid, since you owe me money, so I can call you whatever I want. It is your fault I lost that bet last year."

"How is it my fault when those thugs started the fight?" Azula rolled up her sleeping bag and placed it into one of the other empty saddle pouches.

"Because you're the one who knocked into me and caused my opponent to win the arm wrestle. Not only did you ruin my winning streak, I lost five times the amount I usually make at that tavern. You've come a long way this past year, but you still have ways to go before you pay off your debt." June mounted onto Nyla's saddle. "Now come on. We still have a bit of ways to travel for our next job."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

It had been a few months since she ordered the crew to dropped her off at the Republic City and for them to return back to the Fire Nation. After two years of traveling at sea, like her brother, it was time she traveled on foot and through the Earth Kingdom. It was the captain's suggestion for the princess to begin her journey at the most neutral city in the world. The city her brother and the Aang founded while she was still in the asylum.

The princess spent a few days in Republic City observing how benders and non-benders from the three nations could live together in peace and equally. While she was there she noticed how there were more and more families forming with a parent from a different nation. She saw one sibling being able to bend water and other fire.

That moment Azula felt more lost than ever. She knew the world moved forward, continued, and changed while she was still locked up, but it hadn't sunk in until that moment. The world was indeed changing and for the better. Now the princess had to find her place in this world, a world after the war.

As she traveled through the Earth Kingdom, she avoided Omashu, Ba Sing Se, and Kyoshi Island. A city she renamed, a city she conquered, and an island whose name she smeared. Azula didn't know how her brother survived living in the Earth Kingdom without money, and barely having any food to eat with each passing day. But, if Zuko was able to push through this so could she.

In desperate need for some money, Azula walked into a tavern that Zuko had mentioned to her a couple of times. Her brother mentioned a bounty hunter he once hired to track Aang was a regular patron and had a shirshu. When she saw the shirshu sitting outside the tavern, she knew she was in the right place.

The moment she opened the door, she moved out of the way as a man flew out of the tavern. Azula looked in to make sure no one else was going to be tossed out before walking in. The princess went straight for the bar and sat on one of the stools close to the wall so she could keep an eye on her surrounding. It didn't take her long to spot June. She looked exactly the way Zuko described her.

"What can I get you?"

Azula looked at the bar tender. "A shot of your strongest and a glass a water."

The bar tender gave Azula a look of his own before getting her order. Azula threw her head back as she drank her shot. She slammed her glass down on the counter and coughed. The shot was a lot stronger than she expected it to be from an Earth Kingdom tavern.

"Is that liquor imported from the Fire Nation?"

"Nope, this one is all Earth Kingdom. Want another? It'll be on the house."

"One. Just one more and that'll be all." Azula coughed harder after drinking the second shot as it burned in her throat she laid her head on her wrapped arms.

The bar tender chuckled. "Bet that cleared your sinuses. Here's your water, kid."

She pressed her palms against her eyes as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The princess looked around to see what other people were doing to make money in this tavern, obviously money was made from gambling, but it was mainly made from winning arm wrestling or fighting. Both Azula didn't want to participate in, if there were game of cards, she could easily bluff her way into many wins.

Azula rested her head on her arms again. In that moment a small gang walked into the bar. They glanced around until they spotted her at the bar.

"Well, well, well. Look it here fellows. Fresh meat."

She didn't move.

"Seems like she doesn't know the rules around here. Hey!" One of the members attempted to grab her arm.

She smacked the guy's hand away without looking. Slowly she raised her head and glared at them. "Don't touch me. Also if you're smart enough you'll leave before you end up in the hospital."

The gang laughed amongst themselves, not believing her. "Do you know who we are? We're proud Earth Kingdom soldiers who fought against the Fire Nation and kept them from taking over our villages and our neighboring villages."

Azula smirked and took a long sip of her water. "I don't think you realize who you're talking to. Also you battles aren't exactly that impressive. I doubt you infiltrate and conquered Ba Sing Se since teenagers from the Fire Nation conquered that, specifically and mainly by the Princess of the Fire Nation."

Laughter bellowed amongst the gang again. "The Fire Nation's crazy princess. She might have conquered Ba Sing Se, but she went all wolf-bat shit crazy! Last we heard she was in the loony bin!" They laughed again.

"Then you idiots are very much are out of touch. She has been out of the asylum for the past five years." Azula finished off her glass of water. "She's also wandering around the Earth Kingdom under orders of Fire Lord Zuko."

All laughter suddenly died out among the gang. "The Fire Nation is messed up. A boy should not be ruling. Who the hell let's the craziest bitch in the world loose? I heard she went wolf-bat shit crazy because of mommy issues." The gang began laughing again.

Azula balled her fists as she adjusted herself slowly ready to fight.

"We're not worried that she's loose. We could take her! Her and her whole family!"

The laughter died again as the talker of the gang went flying into the nearest table. The rest of the members looked back at Azula.

She cracked her knuckles and then tilted her head until her neck cracked on both sides. "That's one down. That leaves the four of you. Still think you can take me and my family?" Her golden eyes gleamed as she stepped into the lighting just right.

"Shit! It's her! Get her!"

The remaining for members charged at her at once. She grabbed her stool and tossed it at them. Using the little distraction time she had, she got behind one of the tables and kicked it their direction, knocking another guy to the ground to catch his breath.

Cheering could be heard through out the bar as the other patrons saw the fight break out. Some began placing bets. One of the members began throwing a roundhouse at her head. Azula spun around and hooked her leg around the guy's leg and smacked him hard on the ear, popping his eardrum.

"Is that all you go-" a chunk of earth slammed into her stomach as she was thrown back. Losing her balance she fell onto June.

"Hey! Watch i-" June's hand was slammed to the table by her opponent.

"I win!" Pissed off, June punched her opponent in the nose and knocking him out.

Before Azula could charge back into fighting the small gang, June had grabbed her by the front of her shirt. "Do you realize what you had just cost me, kid?"

"No, and there isn't time for that." Grapping hold of the bounty hunter's arms, Azula used her for balance as she jumped up and kicked another thug in the face. She didn't have a chance to land on the ground when June pulled her by the front of her shirt again.

"You will pay me back in all that money I lost because of you."

June let go of Azula to grab the last gang member and slam his face to the table. She grabbed her glass and smashed it against the back of his head. "There. Your fight is over. Now you're mine."

Azula winced as she felt a sharp pain on her hand. Before she could fight back there was another sharp pain on her other hand. She couldn't feel her hands at all. They were paralyzed. "What the…?"

The bounty hunter held up a needle and pushed Azula towards the door. "Nyla. Attack."

A sharp pain struck the front of her before her body completely fell to the ground. "That needle had shirshu venom on it. Comes in handy. Now that I know you won't be able to resist me." June tied Azula up for safe measure and secured her onto Nyla's back. "I'm going to work you to the bone until you pay me back."

True to her word, June worked her hard. She tried running away a few times, but she was easily caught. Somewhere along the line the two grew to work well with each other when it came to catching bounties.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Here you go! One wanted man for the Police of Republic City." June kicked her capture in the rear towards the police.

"Normally we don't hire bounty hunters to do the job for us. We don't know how to pay you." The Deputy Chief of Police replied a little nervously.

"We'll take the sword." June and the police officers looked at Azula. "That'll be our payment. The sword that man was carrying. We'll take it."

"I'm sorry miss, but that is in police custody as evidence n-" The Deputy swallowed his last word when Azula crossed her arms and stood toe to toe with him.

"Either we get the sword or I let that bounty go and you can have fun trying to capture him yourself."

The Deputy gulped as he tried to intimidate her with his height. "Miss, we can not allow you to take the sword w- eep."

"You're intimidation tactics aren't going to phase me, Deputy. I once conquered Ba Sing Se and controlled the Dai Li, who were feared by most of the city because of what they do to citizens who don't follow their laws.

"What would my brother and Avatar Aang think when they find out when the Deputy Chief of Police and the police force are not doing their jobs properly in protecting the city that was created for the purpose of unity between all the nations?"

Azula stared the Deputy Chief of Police down like she had many years before to Long Feng. Game was set and match. She had won. The Deputy grumbled before ordering one of his cops to retrieve the sword for Azula.

"Take the sword and get out of my city." He shoved the sheathed sword into Azula's chest and stomped away.

The princess politely bowed to the Deputy Chief of Police to add a little more salt to wound. June sighed. This was exactly why she handled the payment negotiations with their bounties and Azula doesn't say anything. However, she had to give props to the princess for her intimidation abilities.

"Congratulations, Ferret. You finally paid off your debt. Though I still don't understand why you chased after that guy in the forest all for a sword."

Azula re-sheathed her newly acquired sword, "It belongs to my friend's brother. I hope to one day return it to him. But, according to his sister he lives in the one place of the few places I'm definitely not welcomed."

"So what? Yeah, you conquered Ba Sing Se and a good amount of the Earth Kingdom still hates you, what is so bad about this place."

"Because it's Kyoshi Island. Ba Sing Se would try to charge me with war crimes, but it will never stick since I did what my Fire Lord ordered. But, Kyoshi Island… it's because I used their warrior's uniforms and name I was able to infiltrate Ba Sing Se, and they will never forgive me."

"Oh please, I thought at least being a bounty hunter this past year would teach you something. Don't give a shit about what others think of you. You and your brother are definitely related with how many times I've seen you pout. Prince and Princess Pouty."

Azula glared at June. "That's because I was a spoiled royal bitch, who still has family and trust issues. And to top it all off, I'm officially documented as a recovered mad woman."

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'?"

"You're dreading too much on the past, Ferret. Move on with your life. Be who you are now. Make people know and remember you now, not what you were during the war. I never saw you during the war and only hear about what you did through you. There is a lot more to you, kid. Here!"

June tossed a small sack of money towards her. "That should be able to hold you for a while. It's all gold pieces. Got any plans now that you don't have to slave away for me?"

The princess looked down up at the sky. "I'm going to head south. Get as close as I can to Kyoshi Island. It's like you said I have to make them see me for who I am now and not who I was. By staying in a town that trades with Kyoshi Island I should run into a few of them at some point and hopefully work something out with them."

The bounty hunter smiled and extended her hand out to Azula. "Well, good luck to you, Ferret."

Azula shook June's hand. "Thank you and you too, June."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The first thing Azula did was purchase an ostrich horse and some warmer clothes. The seasons were changing and snow had already begun to fall upon Republic City. She had just finished strapping on the saddlebags when she saw a couple of kids chasing an animal to an alley way laughing. Azula asked the clerk to a near by store to watch her ostrich horse as she went to check on what was happening. She recognized what was about to happen all because of the malicious grin on those kids' faces as they chased after that animal. She used to give that same grin when she was about to throw a whole loathe of bread at the turtle ducks when she was a kid.

When she entered the alleyway she saw one of the kid toss rocks at the animal and the other one throw fireballs at it. Before the flame could hit the animal, Azula firebended the flame away. The two kids looked at each other confused until they turned and saw Azula. "Get away from the animal."

The kids screamed and ran away. She glared at them as they ran off before walking over to the animal. Her eyebrows rose when she realized it was a fire ferret. Apparently the kids had already burned the poor animal and were on the defense against her. Azula knelt down and held her hand out to the fire ferret.

"Hey, little guy or girl. It's alright I won't hurt you." The fire ferret hissed at her and tried scratching her hand. She caught the fire ferret's paw and pulled the animal towards her. The ferret tried fighting her, but she grabbed it by the scruff and held it close to her.

Azula walked out of the alley back to the store and purchased some gauze and ointments for the ferret. "Come on. Stay still. It's going to hurt a little." She rubbed the ointment on the ferret's burn causing the animal to yowl. "I know it hurts, but it's going to make you better." The princess and to gently step on the ferret's tail to keep the animal in place as she wrapped the gauze around it's body. "See? That's it. No more pain, at least for now."

When Azula took her foot off the fire ferret's tail, it scurried away from her and became defensive again as it growled at her. "Fine if you're going to be that way. It's best you know this now before judging to run off or stay." She held out her hand and produced a small ball of fire. The fire ferret hissed at her. "Don't worry. I won't hurt you. Back where I'm from my niece owns a fire ferret and we get along just fine. Though he does tend to do what he wants."

The fire ferret relaxed a little and walked a little closer to her. When Azula looked at the ferret, it coward and hissed at Azula until she looked away. Once the princess looked away did the ferret walked a little closer. She kept an eye on the ferret from her peripheral vision until it was licking her hand.

"Alright. So, it looks like the three of us are traveling south together." She picked up the fire ferret. "Ah. You're a girl. I guess Kai' would be a fine name for you. Do you want a name too?" The ostrich horse tilted its head before shaking its head. "Didn't think so."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jing sat at the dining table skimming through her book while Yu finished making their dinner. "Is she ever going to wake up?"

Yu looked away from the stew towards his daughter. "She will when she's ready. We don't know what she has been through, but she definitely exhausted herself. Her body needs rest. She won't be at hundred percent when she wakes up either, after sleeping for so long she'll still feel drowsy."

The two looked at their porch door as they heard scratching noise against the wood. Yu slowly opened the door and looked down only to see something red run into the house. "Daddy! It's a fire ferret!" Jing exclaimed.

The fire ferret sniffed around the kitchen floor before running down the hallway and began sniffing the floor there until it was at the patient's door and it began scratching the door viciously.

"Daddy, do you think that fire ferret belongs to her?"

Sighing in defeat, Yu opened the door and the fire ferret bolted into the room until it was sitting on top of his patient's chest, licking her face. Slowly the patient began to stir. Jing ran into the room to see if the woman was indeed going to wake up.

She groaned and squeezed her eyes tightly before slowly opening her eyes. She kept feeling the licking on her cheeks as her vision came into focus. The blurry red finally shaped into the fire ferret. The woman smiled at the animal. "Hey, Kai."

Kai began chatting to her and rubber its face against her cheek. She smiled and scratched the back of the ferret's head. She looked around and saw Jing and Yu watching over her.

"Hi!" Jing said ecstatically.

The woman just nodded towards the young girl as she sat up. "Where am I?"

Yu stepped forward to answer her question. "You're at our home." He gestured towards himself and his daughter. "I'm the resident doctor and we've been looking after you for the past week while you've been asleep, Azula."

Her eyes widened in fear. "How… How do you know my name?"

Jing jumped up onto the foot of Azula's bed, "Because you told us when you kind of woke up a couple of days ago! So, you're Azula and your fire ferret is Kai. I'm Jing! My daddy's name is Yu. My mommy's name is-"

"Jing! What did I tell you about overwhelming my patient?" Yu interrupted his daughter.

"Oops. Sorry, daddy. Should I go check up on our dinner?"

"Yes, that would be nice, honey."

Azula watched as the little girl ran out of the room. "She's… a bundle of energy."

Yu chuckled as he pulled a chair up and sat down. "Yes, she is. Sometimes I think some of that energy comes from her mother's side of the family. If you don't mind I'd like to run some check ups since you're up now."

"Where is your wife? In the kitchen working on dinner?" Azula held her arm out for Yu.

"No." He pressed two fingers on the pulse of Azula's wrist as he turned over a minute glass. The two remained quiet as he counted each beat. "She's at a special training retreat with most of the other women of the village on Kyoshi Island."

The princess blinked and shook her head to make sure she heard her doctor correctly. "Kyoshi Island? How far are we from Kyoshi Island?"

He finished jotting down his notes before he began unwrapping the bandages on Azula's arm. "About an hour boat ride from the island. We're very close to Chin Village, but we need to avoid them since they… are a bit crazy."

"So… when will I be meeting your wife?"

Yu wrapped new bandages around her arm. Before leaning back on his chair. "In three weeks. The training is a month long. I'm going to go check on Jing and dinner. I'll have my daughter bring some of the stew in here for you to eat and something for your little friend too."

Azula nodded as she scratched the back of Kai's ears. She let out a deep breath. An hour away. An hour away from Kyoshi Island. An hour away from Ty Lee.


	6. Chapter 5

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 5**

**************Notes:** Been awhile since I updated. That's mostly because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with this chapter to make it the quality I want it to have. And school. For those who are reading Golden Wolf Warrior Redux, I will update that story before my break is over as well. GWWR I definitely owe an update. Can't wait to hear what you think about this chapter. This is definitely one of my favorite ones to have written.

******Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

"It's time for a talk."

Azula became worried. She had never heard her mother speak to her that way before. Her mother grabbed her arm and led her out of Zuko's room. Ursa forcefully sat Azula down on her daughter's bed before sitting.

"Now, I'll ask you again, you're father would never do what to Zuko?"

"I told you, I don't know." She looked away, not wanting to have this talk.

Ursa's eyes narrowed. She grabbed Azula's chin and turned her daughter's head. "Look at me. Look at me, Azula."

Slowly Azula looked up and stared at her mother. She started taking deep breaths to keep herself from tearing up. She knew she was really in trouble now.

"What is your father going to do to Zuko?"

Azula bit her lip before replying. "Dad is going to kill Zuko. Grandpa order him to… as punishment."

"What?" Ursa let go of her daughter's chin. "Why would Fire Lord Azula say such a thing?"

"Because dad requested to have uncle's birthright revoked." Azula looked away again. "Grandfather was furious that dad suggested grandfather betrays uncle right after the loss of his own son. Grandfather said dad needed to know the pain of losing his first born son by sacrificing Zuko."

Ursa quickly stood up and began walking out of Azula's room.

"Where are you going? Dad wouldn't do that. I was just teasing Zuko."

Her mother didn't turn around. "At this point I wouldn't doubt your father. He's different than when I married him. It's as if he's a monster… and you're starting to turn into one more and more."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

That was nearly fifteen years ago. The last time Azula saw her mother. Slowly Azula opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she reflected on her dream. It had been a long time since Azula dreamed of that night. Zuko later confirmed it for her that their father was planning on murdering him if their mother hadn't intervened.

Azula shook her head and sat up. "She would have never done that for me. She wouldn't want to save me… a monster."

"Of course I would have saved you." Azula turned towards the door and saw her mother standing there. "You are my child as well and I will always protect my children."

"No…" She grabbed her head and looked away. "You're not real. You're just a hallucination."

"I'm sorry you were not able to become Fire Lord." Her mother continued.

"Shut up." Azula muttered.

"You would have been so beautiful in your Fire Lord robes."

"Shut up."

"I visited you at the hospital."

"No! You're not real, so shut up!" Azula yelled.

When no reply came from her mother, she looked over at the door and saw that the hallucination was gone. She began to cry. After being released from the asylum she thought she'd never hallucinate again. She wiped her tears away and took a few deep breaths before getting out of bed.

The sun wasn't fully up yet, which surprised her to see Yu already up and drinking tea. Yu didn't say anything to her and neither did she to him. She pointed to the chair across from him silently asking if she could sit there. He nodded as he held up an empty teacup towards her. Azula took it and waited for Yu to pour the tea for her. They sat in silence.

As Yu was pouring him a second cup he quickly glanced at Azula and noted how weary she looked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Azula snapped out of her trance. "About what?"

"The yelling." Yu brought his cup up to his face to feel the warmth of the steam as he waited for Azula's response.

"Just a nightmare." Azula quickly brushed off.

Yu nodded and took a sip of his tea. "I really don't mean to sound like I'm prying, however, you are still my patient and I'm concerned for your well being. But I will not push if you don't want to talk. Now what are you going to do once you've fully recovered?"

"I don't know." She leaned back in her chair. "My only goal since leaving Republic City was to travel to a town that trades with Kyoshi Island. And I'm here."

"You can stay here if you want. We have a spare bedroom that you can have. You can rent it if you work as my assistant for me." Yu offered. He watched as Azula's eyes narrowed as she thought of his offer. "And… it would be great if you could train my daughter. Jing is a firebender and is the only on in the village. She doesn't have a master and she wants you to train her."

"Pass." Azula closed her eyes. "I'm not a teacher and I'm not the same firebender that I was during the war. Besides, what would your wife say when she comes home from that special training? Not exactly a good idea having a stranger in your house. Let alone a young woman." She opened her eyes and gave a small smile to show that she was joking about the last statement.

The doctor chuckled. "If you were any other person she would freak out. But I know she won't have a problem with the Fire Nation princess being her guest. My wife, Jing's mother, is originally from the Fire nation. So… she knows you."

"Why?" Azula asked. "Why would you open your doors for me, ask me to be your assistant, and want me to teach your daughter if you know who I am?" She didn't wait for him to respond. "You know what I've done, you know what happened to me, and you know that many parts of the Earth Kingdom wants my head. Why?"

Yu took a deep breath. "With every dark side there is a light side." He looked straight into Azula's eyes. "And while I am aware of who you are and what you did, right now I see a young woman trying to find her place in the world. Right now she doesn't have a plan since her only goal was to come to our village in order to be near Kyoshi Island. That young woman needs a roof over her head, a source of food, and something to do to keep herself from becoming bored in this small village."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm very optimistic and I always see the good in others. And yes, people have take advantage of that before, but at least I tried."

Azula stared at Yu as his words sunk in. She chuckled and sipped her tea. "You kind of remind me of my brother just now."

Yu's smile grew. "I'll take that as a major compliment if I'm being compared to the Fire Lord."

"Ever since the war ended my brother has been more optimistic. He works hard to prove to the world that the Fire Nation is changing for the better and it's thanks to him I was given a second chance." She started playing with her cup. "He believed in me and wanted to help me recover. He could have easily let me rot in prison and not look for doctors and healers, but he didn't. It wasn't until I returned to the palace a few years ago did I realize how lucky I am to have him as my brother. To be compared to him is indeed a major compliment."

Before Yu could respond, the soft pattering of feet was heard coming down the hall. Jing tiredly walked in the kitchen and automatically sat in the seat next to Azula.

"Morning." The girl greeted while yawning.

"Good morning, Jing." Yu replied. "Are you hungry?"

Jing nodded as she let out another yawn. Yu got up to start cooking breakfast. He tilted his head slightly towards the tale to listen in on what his daughter might say to their guest. It was quiet except for Jing's occasional yawning. Azula interlaced her fingers and leaned into her hands as she closed her eyes. She thought about Yu's offer some more and was beginning to think it was a good deal. The princes opened her eyes when she heard Jing yawn for the umpteenth time.

"I'm starting to think you're not a firebender with all the yawning you're doing."

"What do you mean?" Jing was worried. Even though she just met Azula, she really wanted the older firebender's approval. "It's morning, who isn't tired in the mornings?"

"Firebenders. I thought you would know since you are a firebender." Azula looked over at the girl. She wanted to see Jing's reactions. She silently laughed when Jing pouted and couldn't answer her. When she saw the girl was about to cry, Azula began talking to her as if she was talking to her niece. "Look I'm only teasing you. I didn't expect you to know the answer. Most kids your age don't unless you're from the Fire Nation capital."

She paused as Jing began sniffling as the girl tried not to cry. "Alright kid. Stop crying, if you're not hurt there is not point in you crying. You don't have a firebending master to teach you about firebending, so don't feel bad if you don't know the answer. You're not dumb, you just don't know." Azula shifted in her chair in order to have Jing's full attention. "Your father tells me that you want me to be your firebending master. If you really want to be my student the first thing you need to know is that firebenders rise with the sun."

"Why?"

Azula wiped away Jing's tears. "Because we are Agni's children. Agni is the Sun spirit who gives us the strength to bend our fire. The least we could do is rise with him and greet him."

"Does that mean we have to go to bed when the sun sets?"

Azula chuckled. "No, we don't. But haven't you noticed how your firebending feels different throughout the day?"

When Jing's eyes widened, she knew the girl's answer.

"That is because of Agni. When he is at his highest point in the day that is when we are the strongest. This is a small sample of what your training with me will be like. There is more to firebending than knowing the various forms and techniques. It's more than something you do physically. There is a spiritual side to bending as well. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not and will never be a true firebending master."

Jing laughed. "I guess it's a good thing I have the Fire Nation princess taking me under her wing, huh?"

"Yes, now why don't you get washed up. After breakfast we'll begin your firebending training."

The young firebender ran out the kitchen with the bundle of energy Azula knew she had. Once Jing was out of earshot, Yu placed the breakfast on the table and began talking to Azula again. "I guess you're taking me up on my offer."

"I guess I am. But I know absolutely nothing about medicine."

"That's alright. It'll be a learning process for you. With medicine it never hurts to have an extra pair of hands to help me out." Yu sat down and began eating his breakfast.

Azula nodded in understanding. "What I told Jing… about there being a spiritual side to bending… I would have never learned that if my firebending masters weren't non-benders."

"You were taught by non-benders?" Yu would have never guessed that to be true. "They must have been good if they were allowed to teach you."

Azula nodded. "They were. And now they're two more people to my list of those I wronged."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Unable to sleep, Azula snuck out of her room and went straight to the turtle duck pond. This time last night her mother disappeared. Zuko had told her their mother had said goodbye to him, but not her. She felt the blade of her mother's last words to her twist in her gut.

She didn't know how long she was sitting out there, but when a pair of arms in pink wrapped around her, she began to cry. It was the first time she cried since everything happened. And Ty Lee held her the whole time.


	7. Chapter 6

**Wanted**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 6**

**Notes:** I have the next chapter planned out, but not written. Still struggling through GWWR's revised chapter, but I also have this one on my mind a lot recently. Thanks to everyone who has and is still waiting patiently on either Wanted and/or GWWR.

Influence/Inspiriation for Chapter 7 [next chapter]: "When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." - Avatar Aang (Legend of Korra)

******Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

Jing groaned as she turned onto her back. Training under Azula has been a lot of work, but Jing was having fun learning more about firebending. Except for standing in knee high water working on her breathing training.

"I went overboard with her training, didn't I?" Azula asked Yu as he checked his daughter's temperature.

"A little. I may not be a firebender, but having to stand in the water during winter might have been too excessive for her level, right, Jing?" Yu smiled down at his daughter.

The young firebender groaned and pulled her covers up to her chin. Yu chuckled again before leaving the teacher and pupil to finish making dinner. Azula grabbed the chair from Jing's desk area to sit by the bed.

"Sorry about this kid, I really did not try to have you fall ill. But now you understand the importance of breathing, right?" Both Jing and Azula laughed. "For the record you could always object if something I say sounds unreasonable."

"But you're a bit scary when someone objects you. There's a reason Dad won't let you buy the groceries anymore."

"That lady was overcharging and then tried to pass it for poor harvesting season. If harvesting was so poor in your village this year, she wouldn't have had barrels of berries behind her stand."

"See. You just got a little scary just now. Are you always so angry and uptight?"

Azula crossed her arms and let out a forceful deep breath, refusing to answer Jing. The young firebender giggled before having a coughing fit. Jing felt Azula rubbing her back as she tried to stop coughing, which only made her cough harder. When the coughing ceased Jing was handed a glass of water.

"I miss my mom." Jing mumbled as she leaned into Azula's side subconsciously.

The princess was caught off guard by what Jing had said and because the girl was leaning against her seeking comfort. There were only a few people she allowed to do this and even then it seldom happened. Slowly Azula wrapped her arms around the girl and held her.

"I know what you mean." She felt Jing shift so the young firebender was looking at her. "When I was about your age my mother left… well, banished actually. Not the point though… she had been gone for about a month and I caught a nasty case of hay fever. No matter how sincere or adamant some of the servants were about me taking the medicine, I didn't want them to give it to me. I just wanted my mother."

Jing wrapped her arms around her teacher's waist and gently squeezed. She wanted Azula to continue. "What did your mother do when you were sick?"

A small smile tugged at Azula's lips as she reencountered a memory. "There's this place in the Fire Nation called 'Ember Island'. Ember Island is this vacation resort for those in Caldera City and high-ranking officers. I was five and caught a cold, so I couldn't go to the beach to play with my brother and cousin. My mother stayed with me the whole time. Originally that year we were supposed to go to the theatre to see a played based on one of her favorite stories, but because I was sick we couldn't go. Instead she bought the book and read it to me over and over again to the point it became one of my favorite stories too." Azula gave a small sad chuckle. "The next year the theatre put on the play again after high demand, and we went to see it."

"AND?" Jing asked loudly.

"'And' what?"

"How was it?"

"It sucked. The Ember Island Players butchered the story! And my mother made us see it every year because she loved it!"

"What was the story and play?"

"'Love Amongst the Dragons'. It's a popular Fire Nation tale."

Jing shot up. "That's my mommy's favorite story too!" She winced as she felt dizzy and a lot of pressure in her head from sitting up too fast. "She told me she used to see the play every year when she lived in the Fire nation."

Azula slowly helped lower Jing to the bed as Jing continued talking. "My mommy even read me that story when I was sick, but not often. She always seemed so sad when she saw it in my book." Jing let out a yawn. "I wonder if our mommies knew each other."

"Who knows kid… may be they did." Azula replied with an empty voice. "I'll bring you dinner when it's ready. Rest for now."

"Azula?"

The princess stopped at the doorway and turned back to her student. "Yes?"

Jing pulled the covers up to her chin nervously. "Will you read me 'Love Amongst the Dragons' after dinner?"

Azula's face softened. "Are you sure you want me to read it? That's something you and your mother do."

"I don't know… you remind me of her a lot, but my mommy is nicer than you."

"Watch it, kid." Azula quickly countered in a playful way. "Fine, I'll read it to you. For now rest."

She walked to her room and fell face first onto her bed, being very un-lady like. Slowly she turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling as an uneasy feeling began to settle in her stomach. Azula did not believe in coincidences; all she needed was more information to confirm her feelings.

After Ursa's disappearance, Azula had stared at maps of the Fire nation and the Earth Kingdom trying to figure out where her mother was banished. She had teased Zuko that their mother could have been on one of the many smaller islands of the Fire Nation and had just been banished from the main land. But both siblings knew she wasn't in the Fire nation. They knew she was somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. Ursa was a needle in the haystack here.

Zuko had told her how he went to their father to try and find their mother. His first year as Fire Lord was a mess and almost caused another war to break out. All because he lacked the confidence and kept going back to their father and in the end their father didn't tell Zuko the whereabouts of their mother. He had asked Azula if she would try and get the information out of him, but she refused. She didn't want to see Ozai ever again.

While traveling in the Earth Kingdom during the war, she had given herself many false hopes that possibly she might have found Ursa in one of the Fire Nation colonies. There were times while she was with June she thought of accidentally finding her mother. No luck.

Azula slowly let out the breath she was holding. "Shit…" She mumbled as she sat up. "The kid is my sister. The kid… is my sister. My mother is on Kyoshi Island. Ty Lee has to know it's her. But… what if I am wrong and our mothers are just very similar? No, there are too many similarities between her mother and mine. My mother has to be Jing's mother too." Upon hearing the clattering of dishes, Azula thought now was a good time as any to ask Yu more about his wife.

"Oh hey! How is Jing doing?" Yu asked when he saw Azula walk in.

"She's resting until dinner is ready. Jing also said something that has me wondering. She said that her mother, your wife, saw the Ember Island Players when she lived in the Fire Nation."

Yu placed a couple of bowls on a tray. "From what I can recall she did mention that a few times to us. Is there something significant about them?"

"Besides the fact they can't act or tell a story properly, the Ember Island Players only perform on Ember Island. That island is only opened to the noble families of Caldera City and high-ranking officers. So, is your wife from a noble family and what is her name?" Azula clenched her jaw as she tried to remain calm. She could feel her heart beating hard against her chest.

"She is from a noble family. I think she told me that her father worked as one of Fire Lord Azulon's officials." He passed the tray to Azula. "And her name… I'll let Jing tell you."

Azula gave Yu a look before taking the tray from him. When she opened the door to Jing's room Kai ran in and jumped on the young firebender's bed. "Did you even sleep?"

Jing groaned and rolled onto her side. "My face hurts from all the pressure. Also I'm not hungry."

"You don't have a choice. You need to eat to get better, besides your father made something that would go easy on your stomach." She handed a bowl to Jing. "Be careful its-"

The elder firebender tossed up her hand when Jing spit her soup back into her bowl. "It's hot!"

"Of course it's hot! It's soup. While there maybe a chance for you to breath fire, you can still burn your tongue." She sat down on the chair and sipped her soup. "I have a question for you regarding your mother."

"What about her?"

"Do you know when she left the Fire Nation?"

"Uh…" Jing took a sip of her soup as she thought of the question. "I think fifteen years ago."

Quickly Azula calculated how old she was fifteen years ago. It fit when her mother was banished. She was nine fifteen years ago. "You never did tell me what her name was."

The young girl's eyes lit up. "My mom's name is amazing. The characters for her name are what make it amazing! Hand me my pencil and paper please." Azula grabbed the items from the desk and hand it to Jing. "I think my mommy has the best name ever!"

Azula's eyes widened when she saw the name written out. Jing gave the paper to her teacher. "That is an amazing name…"

Jing beamed and slowly nodded to keep herself from going dizzy again. "Would you mind if you started reading 'Love Amongst the Dragons'?"

"Sure…" She grabbed the book from the desk and laid it on her lap. Azula sighed as she briefly remembered the first time Ursa read this to her. "Long ago-"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula browsed through the rest of the Fire Nation section of the book as she waited for Jing to return to her room. One story caught her eye. It was about Long and Fenghuang, the dragon and phoenix of the Fire Nation's mythology. She gently slid her fingers down the image of Fenghuang.

She let out a small cynical huff at the memory of her father declaring himself the Phoenix King. "You were never a phoenix nor a dragon." Azula flipped to the end of the story and red the last sentence. "When the dragon soars and the phoenix dances, the people will enjoy happiness for years, bringing peace and tranquility to all under heaven."

"Oh! That's the story about Long and Fenghuang! It's my favorite story if we don't count 'Love Amongst the Dragons.'" Jing exclaimed as she climbed back to bed. "I highly recommend reading it, Azula!"

"One of these days I'll read it, but now it's time for bed. Don't worry I won't wake you tomorrow morning. Get lots of rest to get better sooner." Azula placed her hand on Jing's head and then removed it. "Looks like Kai is going to be staying with you tonight."

The fire ferret was already curled up in a ball sleeping near Jing's pillow. Bidding 'good night' to each other, Azula returned to her room. She removed her hand from her pocket, still balled in a very tight fist clenching the paper with Jing's mother's name on it. Azula sat on the edge of her bed as she stared at the name.

"Lan Long. Blue Fire. Blue Dragon's Fire. Why would she pick an alias like that?"

"You know why I picked it."

Azula sighed as she closed her eyes and lowered her head. The hallucination of her mother was back. "But you left long before I started firebending blue fire and you've been going by this since you arrived here."

"You also know I didn't choose that alias because of your firebending abilities."

The princess slowly lifted her head to look at her mother's hallucination. "You chose that because it's close to my name. But why?"

Ursa gave her daughter a gentle smile. "I told you, Azula. I love you. Truly, I do."

Like ten years ago, Azula slowly lowered herself to the ground and cried.


End file.
